Hemp became a very cheap substitute for the paper pulp that was used in the newspaper
industry. It was believed Hearst felt that this was a threat to his extensive timber
holdings. Here, once again, we have the scenario where making money takes priority over
conserving natural resources.
Mellon had invested heavily in nylon, DuPont's new synthetic fiber, and considered its
success to depend on its replacement of the traditional resource, hemp. According to other
researchers there were other things than hemp more important for DuPont in the mid-1930s.
